Yarn-advancing reel



YARN-ADVANCING REEL Filed March 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 1N ToR.05E/9TH. Aff-ono ATTORNEX Dec. 123947. Y R. H. STAFFORD 2,432,046

YARN-ADVANCING REEL Filed March 25, 194e 2 sheets-sheet 2 1N VEN TOR.

f4 TTORNEK tion to successive bars and blades.

Patented Dec. 2,

, YARN-Ammonia REEL Robert H. Stafford, Richmond, Va., assignor to E..I.du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilminxton, Del., a corporation ofDelaware Application March 23, 1946, Serial No. 656,625

- parent hereinafter.

The objects of this invention are accomplished, in general, by helicallywinding a yarn around a reel having a set of fixed yarn-carrying barsconcentrically mounted about and rotatable with the central reel spindleand a set of yarn-carrying blades disposed alternately between the fixedbars and carried by discs which are so mounted 'in the reel that, uponrotation thereof about the reel spindle, the discs will'revolve in aperpendicular plane that is skewed with respect to a plane perpendicularta the axis of the spindle.

' The yarn-carrying blades are supported in slots of two parallel discsby a ball-and-socket support so that, as the reel revolves, the bladeswill continually'change their angular position with respect to theslotted discs.

The slotted discs are mounted on and rotat about a stationary eccentricsleeve,`the bearing surfaces of which are eccentric with respect to theaxis of the spindle and so skewed as to cause the discs to revolve in avertical plane that is skewed with respect to a plane perpendicular tothe axis of the spindle. Due to the construction and arrangement of theparts of the reel,

upon rotation of the spindle a fixed bar at one point on thecircumference of the reel contacts a blade and causes the slotted discsto rotate.

This point of driving Contact between a fixed bar and a blade occursonly at one position ony the periphery of the reel and shifts duringrota- During onehalf of a revolution, the blades project beyond the xedbars into yarn-carrying position and move laterally in the direction offeed of the yarn to advance the yarn across the reel.' During the.

remaining one-half of the revolution, the blades are in a retractedposition below the fixed bars and move laterally in-fthe"d1rectionopposite to that of the yarn travel for a distance equal to thattraveled by the blades in yarn-advancing v position. rWhen the reel isviewed from lan end thereof, it will be observed that the blades travelin an elliptical path. l

The presentv invention will be more clearly understood by reference tothe following detailed description when taken in connection with theiccompanyng drawings, in which:

of the reel of the pres- Iure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the,y drawings wherein like reference numeralsdesignate like parts, the refer- `ence numeral I0 designates' each of aplurality of longitudinally extending spaced bars arranged in the formof a cylinder. One end of each bar I0 is secured to a circumferentialange I2 and the other end is secured to the inner face of a solid headI4. The solid head I4 has an inwardly extending elongated hub I6 whichscrews on, as indicated by the reference numera1 I8, to one end of ahorizontal spindle 20, which is driven Ain any suitable manner by meansnot shown.

The bars Ill, together with the circumferential flange I2 and the solidhead I4, constitute a rigid cylindrical cage assembly in which the barsare fixed and disposed concentrically about the spindle 20. Uponrotation of the spindle 20, the rigid cage will be rotated and the xedbars I0 will revolve therewith in a xed' circular path about th axis ofthe spindle 20.

The ange I2 imparts rigidity'to the cage and especially to the fixedbars I0. It also prevents the yarn from getting back of the reel duringthe threading'operation.

each bearing surface 24. The discs 30 are in spaced and paralle1relationship with respect to each other. Each of the discs 30 isprovided with slots 3'6, and the discs 30 are so positioned on thesleeve 22 that the slots in one disc areA aligned with correspondingslots in the other disc. In each pair of aligned slots, there ispositioned a yarn-carrying blade 40 which is supported by aball-and-socket arrangement, as will now be described. Each blade 40 isprovided with a pair of holes in which a cylindrical ball 42 ispositioned. The diameter of the balls 42 is greater than the thicknessof the blades 40, with the result that spherical surfaces of the balls42 project'beyond'the side surfaces of the blades 40. These projectingspherical portions are\positioned in spherical counter-bores which actas sockets for the projecting spherical-surfaces and which are formed inthe sides of the slots on the center line of the discs. The sides of theslots 34 in the discs Il are beveled in such a manner as to allow theblades to swing in perpendicular planes about the center of thespherical counter-bores.

Upon rotation of the reel, as will be hereafter more fully described,the blades 4l continually change their angular position with respect tothe slotted discs 30 since the bearing surfaces 24 of the sleeve 22 areeccentric with respect to the axis of the spindle 20, and, since thesleeve 22 is skewed withrespect to the axis of the spindle, uponrotation of the discs 2l they will revolve in a vertical plane that isskewed with respect to a .plane perpendicular to the axis of thespindle. A

shoulder 44 and a thrust collar 46 threadedly disposed on the sleeve 22maintain proper spacing between the discs 2l. The sleeve 22 ismaintained stationary and kept from rotating by tongs 4l which engagegrooves in a mating part of the support, generally designated by thereference numeral il, which carries the reel. The slotted discs 30,together with the blades 40 carried thereby and the sleeve 22,constitute a non-- rigid reel assembly.

From the, foregoing description, it is apparent that as the slotteddiscs are revolved on the eccentric sleeve 22, the blades 40 remainparallel but vary their distance from the center line of the spindle 2l,and they also oscillate longitudinally with respect to the bars I0. Theeccentric bearings 24 are of such design that, during onehalf of arevolution of the reel, a yarn will be carried and advanced by theblades 40 which project beyond the fixed bars I and move laterally inthe direction of the yarn feed. During the remaining half of therevolution, the blades 40 are below the fixed bars I0, whereby the 4yarnis carried by such xed bars and the blades are moved -lateral1y, in thedirection opposite to the direction of yarn travel on the reel, for adistance equal to that which it (the blade) moved during theyarn-advancing operation.

The non-rigid assembly is driven by the rigid assembly. Due to theconstruction and arrangement of the parts of the reel, upon rotation ofthe spindle the fixed bars i0 will be revolved in a. circular path aboutthe center axis of the spindle 20. During such operation, at one pointon is not restricted thereto. By appropriate design of the eccentricbearings 24, the movable blades 40 can be made to carry and advance theyarn for more or less than 180 of the revolution of the reel and thefixed bars carry the yarn for the remainder of the revolution of theyarn. Further, by appropriate design of the eccentric bearings 24, thefixed blades Il and the movable blades 4l can be madeto alternatelycarry the yarn a plurality of times during a single revolution of thereel. In the latter embodiment, the portions of the revolution of thereel wherein the movable bars carry the yarn can be equivalent to orgreater or less than those wherein the iixed bars carry the yarn.

The reel can be used for continuously advancing yarn in the general formof a helix. The yarn can be processed as desired while on the reel.Thus, for example, vif the yarn is made by the viscose process, thesupport Il may constitute a part of the frame ofthe spinningmachine andthe yarn may be washed, desulfured, bleached or dried during its passageacross the reel. If desired, the yarn can be'stretched while still wetwith coagulating bath liquor or under the iniluencelof hot water bymaking the blades 4l progressively deeper toward the yarn wind-oil' endand making the helices larger at that end. Alternatively, the blades 40may be made progressively smaller toward the yarn wind-off end to allowfor shrinkage during appropriate treatments. such as desulfuring ordrying.

Though the invention has been specifically described in connection-witha reel of the cantilever type, it is to be understood that the inventionis not restricted thereto. The invention can be applied to reels thatare supported at both ends.

Since it is obvious that many changes and modifications can be made inthe above-described details without departing fromvthe nature and spiritof the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not to belimited thereto except as set .forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a. yarn-advancing reel, a rotatable spindle, a set of spaced fixedyam-contacting bars arranged concentrcally about and rotatable with thecircumference a fixed bar I0 contacts a blade 4l, causing the discs 30to rotate on the sleeve 22. This point of driving contact between afixed bar I 0 and a blade 40 occurs at one position on the periphery ofthe reel and shifts during rotation to successive bars and blades.

The increment of the yarn advancement over the reel or the magnitude ofthe pitch of the advancing yarn is determined by the degree to which thediscs 30 are skewed.

The balls 42 can be either separate or integral parts of the respectiveblades 40.

In assembling the reel after the non-rigid reel assembly has beenassembled, itis inserted in the -rigid cage by sliding the sleeve 22over the elongated hub I6. Thereafter, the hub I6 is slid on the spindle20 and rotated by handuntil the spinbars Il, it is to be understood thatthe invention said spindle, a set of yarn-contacting blades disposedalternately between said fixed bars, a stationary eccentric sleevedisposed/ on said spindle in a skewed position with respect'to the axisof said spindle, a pair of slotted parallel spaced discs rotatablymounted on said sleeve with the slots of one disc in alignment with thecorresponding slots in the-'other dise, and means mounting a blade ineach respective pairl of aligned slots to permit said blades tocontinually change their angular position, during revolving of the reel,with respect to the slotted discs, the means for mounting each of saidblades comprising a pair of spherical balls carried by each blade, thespherical surfaces of said balls projecting from the sides of said bladebeing positioned in complementary shaped sockets formed in the sides ofsaid slot.

2. In a yam-advancing reel, a rotatable spindle, a set of spaced fixedyam-contacting bars arran-ed concentrically about and rotatable withsaid spindle, a set of yarn-contacting bladesdisposed alternatelybetween said fixed bars, a stationary eccentric sleeve disposed on said=spindle ina skewed position withrespect to the axis of said spindle, apair oi' slotted parallel spaced discs rotatably mounted on said sleevewith the slots of one disc in alignment with the correprising a pair ofspherical balls positioned in holes in said blade with thespherical'surfaces of said balls projecting from the sides of saidblade, the spherical projecting surfaces of each ball being positionedin complementary shaped sockets in the sides of the slot.

3. In a yarn-advancing reel, a rigid cylindrical 4 casing having aplurality of spaced fixed yarncontacting bars extending longitudinallyabout the periphery and concentrically arranged about an inwardlyextending hub, a rotating spindle disposed in and secured to said hub.an eccentric sleeve mounted on said hub in a skewed position withrespect to the axis of said spindle, a pair of spaced slotted discsrotatably mounted on said sleeve with the slots of one disc being inalignment with the corresponding slots in the other disc, and meansmounting a yarn-contacting blade in each respective pair of alignedslotsto permit said blades. to continually change their angular positionduring revolving of the reel with respect to the slotted discs, themeans for mounting each oi said blades comprising balls carried by eachof said blades with the spherical surfaces of said balls projecting fromthe sides of eachA blade positioned in complementary shaped socketsformed in the sides of said slots.

4. In a yarnfadvancing reel, a solid head, an elongated hub extendinginwardly from said head, a plurality of xed yarn-contacting barsarranged in spaced relationship about the periphery of said head andconcentrically about said hub, a rotating spindle disposed in andsecured to said hub, an eccentric sleeve mounted on said hub in a.skewed position with respect to the axis of said spindle, a pair ofspaced slotted discs rotatably mounted on said sleeve with the slots ofone disc beingl in alignment with the corresponding slots in the otherdisc, and means mounting a yarn-contacting blade in each respective pairof aligned slots to permit said blades to continually change theirangular position during revolving of the reel with respect to theslotted discs, the means for mounting each of said blades comprisingballs carried by eachl of said blades with the spherical surfaces ofsaid balls projecting from the sides of each blade positioned incomplementary shaped sockets formed in the sides of said slots. 4

ROBERT H. STAFFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The followingvreferences are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

